U.S. March milk output up 2.2 percent

U.S. March milk output up 2.2 percent

Milk production continues to climb. Across all 50 states, milk production in March was up 2.2 percent over last year. Milk production has been above the previous year’s level for 13 months in a row.

Cow numbers continue to edge up, also. In March, the U.S. dairy herd stood at 9.175 million head, up 76,000 or 0.8 percent from a year ago. That also was up 17,000 head or 0.2 percent from February. In the top 23 states, cow numbers were up 93,000 head or 1.1 percent over a year ago. There was a 17,000-head gain in cow numbers between February and March in those states.

However, milk per cow still is driving overall production. Output per cow nationally was up 1.4 percent in March. It was up 1.3 percent in the top 23 states.

California milk production was up 3.1 percent in March, mostly because of a 3 percent rise in milk per cow.

Wisconsin was up 1.3 percent in milk. That gain was derived from a 0.8 percent jump in milk per cow and 0.5 percent or 6,000 more cows.

New York was Number 3 in milk output during March, producing 1.104 billion pounds compared to 1.081 billion for Idaho. New York was up 3.1 percent in total milk. There was no change in cow numbers in that state, just an impressive 3.1 percent gain in milk per cow.

Idaho was up 3.7 percent in milk thanks to a 3.8 percent or 21,000-head rise in cow numbers.

Number 5 Pennsylvania was down 0.7 percent in milk, mostly due to a drop in milk per cow.